Spades Mountain Lookout

Lookout Elevation 5,038 feet
Hiking Distance: Drive-up (I think)
County: Kootenai County

I do not know if there are gates or berms because I traversed over the mountain on the ridgeline on snowshoes. It appears there is public access to the summit but I do not know the road systems in this area.

IIn 1923, there was a lookout camp.
In 1926, a 50 foot pole tower with a 7x7 foot cab was built.
In 1928, a log cabin was added for a living quarters.
In 1941, a 54-foot Aermotor MC-40 steel tower was built.
In 1945, the lookouts were Rose and Marjorie Olson, both 19-year-old Idaho girls.
Late 1940s, an L-4 cab was added for living quarters.
In 1952, a 67-foot timber tower with R-6 flat cab was built.
In 1963, the steel tower was moved to Long Mountain. It was replaced by a 67-foot timber tower with an R-6 cab.
In the 1970s was the last year for staffing.
In 2015, the tower was torn down by the Forest Service after years of heavy vandalism.
The old steel tower that was moved to Long Mountain was eventually purchased and moved by Dave Kresek (son of Ray Kresek) and is currently standing on his property near Spokane.

Spades Lookout in 1945

Spades Lookout with an R-6 (Gary Weber photo)

1961 USGS map with 1973 updates

Trail 802 crossing the road near the summit

Trail 802 down lower on the mountain

Summit of Spades Mountain

View of Lake Hayden on way to summit

Road up Spades Mountain

The old Spades Lookout tower. I took these photos at Daves Lookout in Spokane Washington during a FFLA Gathering in 2015.